Voters go back to the polls Tuesday for primary runoffs
Party runoff ballots are fairly light for Tuesday’s election. In most races, the parties’ nominees were decided in the May primaries. But there are some critical races. At the top of the Republican ballot is perhaps the most-discussed race in the state this year, for nomination to the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Richard Shelby, who is retiring. At the top of the Democratic ballot is nomination to the governor’s race. Candidates who won their party’s nominations for each office will face each other in the general election in November.
One important thing to know about the runoffs is that Alabama bans crossover voting. That means that if you voted in the Republican primary, for instance, you can vote only in the Republican runoff. You cannot vote in one party’s primary and the other party’s runoff. If you didn’t vote in the May 24 primary, though, you can vote in whichever runoff you choose.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. Tuesday to 7 p.m. If you don’t know where you should go to vote, whether your voter registration is active or need other information about the election, check out the Voter FAQ in BirminghamWatch’s Runoff Voter Guide. Also in the Voter Guide are candidate profiles and printable sample ballots.
Democratic Primary Runoff Candidates
Republican Primary Runoff Candidates
Sample Ballots for Jefferson and Shelby Counties
Democratic Party Runoff Ballot, Jefferson County
Republican Party Runoff Ballot, Jefferson County
Federal judge rules Alabama Senate district violates Voting Rights Act, orders new map
U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco blocked the state from using the current map in the 2026 elections and said a new map must be put in place that creates a new district in Montgomery where Black voters “comprise a voting-age majority or something quite close to it."
An overview of Tuesday’s elections in Birmingham
Birmingham’s municipal elections are on Tuesday, which means voters will have the chance to elect (or re-elect) candidates for mayor, city council, and the school board. Thanks to our friends at BirminghamWatch, you can find a list of candidates and other resources to help as you head to the polls.
Alabama sets October execution using nitrogen gas
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday set an Oct. 23 execution date for Anthony Boyd. Boyd is one of four men convicted in the 1993 killing of Gregory Huguley in Talladega.
Federal judge refuses to block Alabama law banning DEI initiatives in public schools
U.S. District Judge David Proctor wrote that University of Alabama students and professors who filed a lawsuit challenging the law as unconstitutional did not meet the legal burden required for a preliminary injunction.
US Rep. Barry Moore, an Alabama Republican, launches bid for the Senate
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Judges block appeal to redraw congressional district maps
The three-judge panel unanimously, and for the second time, found that the state drew a map that unfairly discriminated against Black Alabamians.
